Baywatch star Pamela Anderson has revealed she used to suffer from 'debilitating' shyness before she posed for her infamous Playboy centrefold.
The actress and model rose to fame as one of the original stars in the 80s TV show Baywatch and as a Playboy model.
In an interview, the TV and movie star called herself "painfully shy" as she lacked self-confidence and didn't see herself as pretty.
The blonde star explained: "I became painfully shy, and the shyness was something that was so debilitating. When I was little, I would wear a hat over my head and pull the hole closed, so I could only see out this much."
Talking to ET Canada about her forthcoming memoirs, she added: "I hated the way I looked, I hated everything. I was so shy, and I always thought everybody was pretty, and I just didn't have that confidence or self-confidence."
However, rather than completely shying away from the spotlight, Pamela revealed that a photo shoot for Playboy actually gave her a "first feeling of freedom" - but only after she was begged to take part.
Pamela turned down Playboy mogul Hugh Hefner the first time he asked her to take part before she finally relented and agreed to model.
Recalling the discussions, Pamela explained: "I was in Vancouver and Playboy approached me a few times and I said no. Finally, I was in a situation and thought, 'Why not? Let me try this.' Then I got to L.A. and I was horrified."
Reflecting on the moment she first got in front of the camera for Playboy, she said: "Then I did my first photo shoot with Playboy… it was the first flash when I opened my eyes and it felt like I was falling off a cliff.
"It really felt like I was just… allowing, instead of trying to control. And it was my first feeling of freedom, then I was off to the races!"
In another interview reflecting on her life, Pamela revealed that her childhood dream job was to be a nun before she found Playboy fame.
The 55-year-old detailed how she thought she would become a nun or a librarian before she got the opportunity to be a model.
She detailed how she would visit the library every day when she was younger but she doesn't know "what happened" for her to eventually work for Playboy.
The former Baywatch star said: "I was at the library every day – I was at story time every day and I really wanted to be a librarian, and then I thought, 'No, I really wanna be a nun.'"
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